


The Dawn of a New Era

by aria_dc_al_fine



Category: Kuroko no Basuke | Kuroko's Basketball
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst, GOM as Kirin, M/M, Twelve Kingdoms AU
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-06-27
Updated: 2015-07-13
Packaged: 2018-04-06 12:07:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 12,752
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4221150
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aria_dc_al_fine/pseuds/aria_dc_al_fine
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Prologue (chapter 1 and 2: mild, gen-ish Midotaka, Akafuri)<br/>One moment, Furihata was just an average student in Tokyo. The next, he was the King of the Kingdom of Raku. </p><p>Had Akashi really made the right choice?</p><p>Arc 1: Eastern Sea Winds, Carry me Home (chapter 3 - ?: Kikasa, blink-and-you'll-miss-it Aokuro)<br/>Kise felt useless, unable to help as Kasamatsu struggled to get his court to acknowledge him. Meanwhile, Haizaki plotted.</p><p> <br/>Quotes from the latest chapter:<br/><i>The blonde insisted to ride together with his master. “I worry that you’ll fall asleep and slip off Hyouka,” he patted the leopard demon below him. “How long did you sleep last night?”</i></p><p>  <i>Patches of pink appeared on Kasamatsu’s cheeks. “…I don’t know,” he grunted.</i></p><p>  <i>“I thought so,” Kise smiled sadly. “Lean on me. I’ll steer and make sure we get there. Please take better care of yourself, Your Majesty,” he chided, not afraid of overstepping his boundaries this once.</i></p><p>(No prior knowledge of Twelve Kingdoms necessary; I will do my best to explain, and provide links.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Why Me?

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by: http://rainbowbasketball.tumblr.com/post/48971016966/12-kingdoms-au-collection-several
> 
> A lot of the translated images had disappeared, so I used the source materials in pixiv (http://www.pixiv.net/member_illust.php?mode=manga&illust_id=33162609). My Japanese is not very good, and I didn’t follow the descriptions in the source materials to a tee, gomen.

Furihata Kouki had his life turned upside down within a day.

He was spending the last leg of his lunch break taking a catnap, the warm weather and his full stomach having lulled him to sleep, until the brunet heard footsteps of someone approaching. Was it a classmate, coming to wake him?

Furihata yawned and stretched his arms over his head. “T-haaanks, Fukuda-” he guessed, elongating the vowel, only to stop dead.

The teenage boy standing over Furihata was not the spiky-haired center in his basketball team. His hair was a deep, eye-catching shade of red, a colour banned in his high school. ‘ _How did he get away with it?_ ’ Furihata wondered, bewildered, until he noticed the boy wasn’t wearing a uniform, but elaborate Chinese robes that fell to his feet, the silk a fiery hue of vermilion, the patterns on his stiff collar embroidered with golden threads.

Intense, mismatched crimson and gold eyes watched Furihata unnervingly before the stranger spoke, somewhat resignedly, “It’s you.”

‘ _Huh?_ ’ Furihata could only think, before the striking, slender stranger _dropped to his knees_. And kowtowed before Furihata.

The brunet panicked. “W-what are you doing!?” he exclaimed, his voice shrill. Students were starting to return to the classroom, and they were all watching them with wide eyes.

“I swear never to desert my post before your throne,” the stranger declared, his voice strong, calm and somber, “I swear never to defy your commands. I pledge my allegiance. Such is my covenant with you.”

But Furihata could barely hear it. Whispers from his classmates had invaded his ears.

‘ _What is it, bullying?’_

_‘From Furihata? Really?’_

_‘It’s too late for Chuunibyou, isn’t it?’_ [1]

Furihata’s cheeks burned from the latest comment. The brunet crouched down and laid his hand on the redhead’s forearm, intending to pull him up. He was shocked when the stranger flinched and glared at him.

“Get up,” he pursed his lips, “please do not lower yourself before me.”

Furihata cowered. “Then please stop kneeling,” he pleaded helplessly.

“No,” the redhead refused vehemently. “Not until you accept my vows. And please, do not beg.”

Furihata pulled his hair in frustration. “Okay, okay! I accept!”

What followed after were too unbelievable to be real – the stranger dragging Furihata out of the school compound, ignoring the teachers’ orders to stay put, jumping to a _glowing hole_ on Kanda river and arriving at a place where everyone wore Ancient Chinese robes, like it was some kind of a period drama amusement park-

As Furihata stood at the balcony of a Palace, his backside sore after holding on to a _flying horse_  for dear life for hours, a content smile spread on the redhead’s face, lighting up his delicate features. “Welcome to the Kingdom of Raku, King.”

It was more breathtaking than the view of the city spread before him. Furihata was awed.

Until the words registered in his brains.

“What do you mean? Who, me, a King!?”

* * *

‘You’re a _Taika_ ,’ they told him, ‘Someone of this world who drifted to the other world when still in the fruit ( _fruit_? What!?) and was unfortunately born there, but you rightly belong to this world. You can speak our language with no problem, can’t you _just_ see?’

 _No,_ Furihata thought, overwhelmed by the fact that his own appearance had changed, his eyes rounder and jaws less square (further proof that he was a _Taika,_ they said). What about his parents, his big brother, his basketball teammates? Would he ever get to see them again?

And how could someone like him be a _King?_ Until recently, he had been a completely ordinary high-schooler, with average grades and looks.

“It’s a little hard to take in, we understand,” Kotarou Hayama, the Grand Master of Cavalry, said as he scratched his back. The carefree blonde looked like he was just a year older than him, but he’d been told the _Daishiba_ was almost fifty years old. Ministers were fairies, they said. Fairies did not age or fall sick, could only die by beheading. Oh, and apparently, Furihata was now a fairy, too.

“May be talking to another _Taika_ will help?” Hayama suggested.

Reo Mibuchi, one of the three lords-of-court who were in charge of Furihata’s education [2], sighed. “I’ll arrange a visit to the Kingdom of Kai.”

“Oh, and on the way, I think we should drop by the Kingdom of Shuu. The Eagle King has reigned for almost two centuries. Our King can surely learn from him?”

Mibuchi’s eye twitched. “You just want to see Kiyoshi Mijayi,” he sighed.

“Nee-chan, you sure know everything!” The blonde grinned and flung his arm around his superior, but was swiftly swatted away.

So, with Akashi’s reluctant permission, the two of them (plus one of Akashi’s _shirei_ – a demon bound into service by a _Kirin_ [3] –and a group of bodyguards assembled by Hayama) set off.

To say Furihata was nervous was an understatement. Shuu’s Palace was unbelievably lavish, intricate shiny decorations wherever he turned. Raku’s Palace looked bare in comparison. Kazunari Takao was famed to be one of the best Kings of the Twelve Kingdoms. He’d been on the throne the second longest of them all, ruling with foresight, dedication and compassion.

In person, he was different.

“Shiiiiin-chan!” a sharp-eyed man in drab civilian clothing, his long raven hair tied in a topknot, was dragged by the ear into the guest room, whining and kicking all the while, “I was there to gather information! You didn’t have to be so mean!”

“The excuse got old decades ago,” the towering figure of Shuu’s _Kirin_ was intimidating to Furihata. How King Takao could face him nonchalantly, with those veins popping out of the _Kirin’_ s temples, the brunet had no idea.

“Seriously,” _Saiho_ Midorima finally let out a long breath after lecturing his ruler for fifteen minutes straight. Hayama had long disappeared with an irate caramel-haired man. “How could you be so rude to King Furihata!?”

‘ _I’m more amazed with the fact that you can scold your boss so blatantly in front of me,_ ’ Furihata thought as he raised his hands in a reconciliatory manner, his head still spinning from the green-haired _Kirin_ raving on how inappropriate it was for a King to be seen in  _brothels_. “Ah, no, I’m sorry to have taken your time…” _At least Akashi doesn’t air my dirty laundry publicly …_

“Eh, so you’re Furihata!” King Takao quickly switched his attention to him, his grin as bright as the sun. “Congratulations on your ascension!” He shook Furihata’s hands enthusiastically.

“Don’t dispense with the honorifics!” Midorima shouted, his hackles raised like a cat who had his tail stepped on.

King Takao laughed. “Don’t be so strict,” he remarked as he slowly pushed his _Saiho_ out of the room. “Help me tell the lords-of-court to gather, won’t you, Shin-chan? I want to discuss my discoveries with them,” his expression was serious as he said this, a world’s difference from the happy-go-lucky guy he was just a second prior.

Midorima’s expression transformed to that of respect. “Understood.”

Furihata changed his mind; he wished Akashi was just as expressive as Duke Midorima. Oftentimes, he’d deliberated if Akashi cleared his throat to mask a cluck of his tongue, or bowed his head to hide his disappointment.

Before he left, the bespectacled official handed his King a pouch. “Today’s lucky item.”

King Takao smiled softly in response. “Thank you for always looking after me, Shin-chan.”

Furihata couldn’t help but threw his gaze away. Somehow, he felt that he’d intruded a private moment.

“I hope you’re fine with the informal way I’m dressed?” King Takao’s voice brought Furihata out of his musings.

“Ah, yes!” Furihata replied immediately, returning to his seat with the raven-haired monarch’s gesture. “By this standard, everybody is dressed informally, where I came from,” the brunet attempted a casual conversation, before he froze. _Stupid, stupid, not everyone treats Taika and sea guests_ [4] _welcomingly!_ (Furihata had learned that the hard way.) _What if-_

“Ah, Yukio mentioned that, yeah,” King Takao countered easily.

Furihate exhaled in relief. _Yukio…King Kasamatsu of Kai? Are they so close they refer to each other with first names…?_

“So,” the older King (not that he looked older) leaned back and crossed his legs, “what do you want to ask?”

Furihata was tense again. His mouth opened but he couldn’t make any sound for a while. “…I…don’t know where to begin.” He clenched his fists. “W-what should I do to become a great King like you?” _When I am not even sure that I want to do this? That I am the correct person?_

King Takao blinked. Before he laughed. Again. “I’m not all that great, really.”

“Just take it one step at a time,” he continued, as Furihata was about to rebut. “I remember how lost I felt when I just ascended, the memory fresh as though it happened yesterday. Why, I find myself feeling lost frequently, still.”

Furihata smiled wanly. It just meant King Takao continually pushed himself out of his comfort zones, and wasn’t one to rest on his laurels. “You’re really humble, King Takao.”

“Kazunari,” he was interrupted. “Call me Kazunari, Furihata.”

Furihata returned the favour. “Then, please call me Kouki.”

The beam Kazunari directed at him made Furihata feel warm.

“I can offer a couple of advices, I suppose,” Kazunari hummed as he poured himself and Furihata some tea. His gaze was firm when he handed the brunet the cup. “You’ve probably asked yourself, at least once, ‘ _Why me?’_ Haven’t you?”

Furihata was taken aback. It was like Kazunari had read his mind.

Kazunari walked around as he elaborated, “In this world, as long as there is a king who follows Heaven’s mandates on the throne, your land will prosper. It’s a test of endurance. ‘Time solves most things,’ is a quote from a writer of your world, I believe. Yukio told me once. Murakami…or someone like that [5]. Anyways, you have to find – or create, whichever – milestones, events you can look forward to.”

“I see…” Furihata stared at his lap.

So who he was didn’t matter.

“…That came out wrong, didn’t it?” Kazunari sounded troubled. Furihata looked up in surprise. “I’m old enough to be your gramps twice over, what I’m grappling with must be completely different. Anyways, Akashi must have chosen you with the _instinct_ that you are what Raku needs, now.”

Furihata was puzzled. “The decision…is not based on the will of the Creator God?”

Kazunari snorted. “From what I’ve heard, Kingly Auras [6] are not as obvious as signposts. It’s a vague, nagging impression of ‘awe’, a pull toward the King candidate. Of course, the uncertainty’s gone when the _Kirin_ can successfully kowtow to the candidate, but _Kirins_ can’t spend all their time bowing to every citizen of their lands, can they?”

“I see…” Furihata commented. Kazunari must have a natural sense of curiosity, a need to question things presented before him as facts. Furihata had never thought to explore what Kingly Auras were. He didn’t have any special talents. “…What does Raku need?” he couldn’t help but voice out loud.

“That’s something you need to find out for yourself,” Kazunari shrugged. “I was merely a lowly underling at a provincial inn, you know. But what Shuu needed was just someone tenacious and used to _filth_ to mend the horrors of the civil wars.”

‘That can’t be,’ Furihata wanted to reassure the older monarch, but Kazunari was lost in the past, his eyes glossed over with pain. “In a world where no King can invade another Kingdom, wars can only be waged within. And nothing can be more  _horrible_ than brothers, children born from the same land, killing one another-” his voice was dark, filled with an emotion Furihata did not and perhaps could never hope to understand.

The Eagle King recovered quickly, though. “Ah, what a horrible adviser I am, so caught up in my own troubles,” he scratched his head, his voice light.

“Not at all,” Furihata didn’t doubt how wise Kazunari was. To have survived many despairing years.

“Speaking of _Kirins,_ ” Kazunari rubbed his chin. “Many may have told you that _Kirins_ embody benevolence and ooze empathy from their pores. Don’t believe them. _Kirins_ are individuals in their own right. There are times they won’t behave stereotypically. Especially _Kirins_ like your Akashi, and Sei’s Kuroko, who have traumatically lost-” He stopped abruptly, a wince on his face. "I put my foot in my mouth again, didn't I?"

It wasn’t a secret that Akashi had chosen another before. Nijimura Shuuzou, a charismatic, _perfect_ King who seemingly snapped one day and grew increasingly dictatorial until he lost his head in an uprising. It was rumoured that Mibuchi had barely managed to convince the revolts to preserve Akashi’s life. Give him a second chance.

And the precious, rare red _Kirin_ chose Furihata.

Furihata wanted to squeeze his eyes shut. _Akashi should have chosen another. Nobody is satisfied with me, a Taika who’s taking too long to study this world and how to rule. A Taika who doesn’t know how to win his people’s hearts._

But he shouldn’t make Kazunari deal with his despondent self.

So Furihata shook his head and pasted on a smile.

“Thank you so much, Kazunari.”

TBC

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1\. Chuunibyou: literal translation is ‘Middle school 2nd year syndrome’. It describes teens who are too caught up in fantasy and believe they have special powers, sometimes acting out their imaginations in role plays. There’s an anime on this: ‘Chuunibyou demo, koi ga shitai’.  
> 2\. http://12kingdoms.wikia.com/wiki/Ranking_Structure  
> 3\. A kirin (麒麟) is noble and holy creature that is bound to and chooses the ruler of each kingdom. http://12kingdoms.wikia.com/wiki/Kirin  
> 4\. http://12kingdoms.wikia.com/wiki/Kaikyaku  
> 5\. http://www.goodreads.com/quotes/371808-as-time-goes-on-you-ll-understand-what-lasts-lasts-what  
> 6\. http://12kingdoms.wikia.com/wiki/Ouki


	2. Ghosts

A demon lived inside Akashi.

Literally.

It started as a challenge, a test of his strength. Whether he could subjugate a _Himiko_ [1] and bind her as his _Shirei._ Her ability to predict the future was a bonus, an asset for his future King and – loathe as he to admit it – a boost to Akashi’s ego.

(Not that Akashi needed any. As the first red _Kirin_ to be born after centuries, and the youngest to have matured in his generation, the holy beast of the western Kingdom of Raku had enough accolades under his belt.)

Nobody had warned him that _Himiko_ would erode his sanity.

* * *

“It’s rare for you to have proactively contacted us, _Rakuki_ ,” Kazunari mused as he saw a blue messenger bird, _Seichou_ , perched on his window sill. He didn’t have to hear the recording to know that it was from Akashi.

The message was short, mostly superficial words. There was only one question that mattered uttered there.

“Kouki’s doing fine,” Kazunari dictated to the magical creature, letting it memorise his answer after feeding it with silver grains. “What a surprise, Akashi. Isn’t he the complete opposite of Shuuzou?”

All of them had thought the former Provincial Governor of Teikou, an extraordinary man with superb leadership skills and impeccable integrity, would be the one to best Ne Kingdom’s Kuroo Tetsurou, the current longest-reigning King (350 years and counting), and finally beat Sei’s former Righteous King Oikawa Tooru’s record of six centuries [2].

Yet, Nijimura Shuuzou didn’t even last a handful of decades.

“Was it a conscious decision on your part, Aka-chan?” Kazunori couldn’t help the whispered rhetoric that left his lips. “So you won’t repeat your past mistake?”

The Eagle King remembered: the frail, shivering figure of Sei’s blue-haired _Kirin,_ his pale, transparent skin marred by the dark markings of _Shitsudou_ – the fatal illness that punished _Kirins_ for the stray paths their monarchs had taken and could not return from [3]. The sobs that wracked his entire frame.

Yet, Kuroko had not been crying because of his brush with death.

 _‘H-he…he was so radiant,’_ Kazunari heard the words muffled against Kise’s chest. _‘He loved life and enjoyed what he did. I…have I robbed it off him? Have I destroyed him?’_

The two youngest Kirins to have matured in their generation, who had their firsts die on them.

Kuroko had selected another Military Officer to fill the gap former General of Sei’s Forbidden Army Aomine Daiki had left. But Akashi…

The bird cawed and pecked his hand when Kazunari had paused for too long. The King of Shuu shrieked and rubbed his wound. “Okay, okay. I’ve said too much. Anyways, Kouki’s great, Akashi. Earnest and brave. Don’t worry too much!” With that, he sent his messenger off.

Kazunari might have learned to be good at lying, but he meant what he had said. He had a good feeling about the _Taika_.

* * *

This was the trigger:

‘ _Don’t let him get away with it,’ the red Kirin told his ruler. ‘He’d stolen from the treasury. He’d manipulated our population records so his province could pay less tax. This is unforgivable.’_

_Nijimura had regarded him strangely. ‘He has a valid reason. The winter was too harsh, they could not have afforded to give away the required percentage.’ He laughed lightly, ‘I thought you are supposed to be a creature of kindness, Akashi.’_

_Rakuki scowled. ‘I did not suggest any violence. Merely to right the wrong.’ He refrained from biting his nail. What an unsightly habit. ‘He should have come clean with it.’_

_‘Excusing him would have been unfair to other provinces,’ Nijimura argued._

_‘No, we could have made it a basis to grant special rebates for affected regions,’ Akashi grew more impatient. Nijimura didn’t understand. He didn’t see what Akashi could see, what Himiko had shown him. His left eye burned as the Kirin raised his volume. ‘Don’t let him make a fool out of you! You have to let anyone who oppose you know his place!’_

_Nijimura put down the scroll he was scrutinizing and looked at Akashi, **really** observing him. ‘…Who are you?’ He asked sharply, steel intelligent eyes wide._

_‘Of course, I’m Akashi. **Your** Kirin,’ Akashi didn’t understand the question. ‘And as your servant, I’m telling you, being lax with the law means allowing for seeds of corruption to be sown in your court.’_

_Akashi had missed the way Nijimura’s expression turn cold unnaturally, like he had been hypnotized, bewitched. ‘I understand.’_

_‘Good,’ Akashi remembered feeling satisfied with having his ruler agree with – no, obey – him. ‘While we’re at it, let’s clean up our Ministry of Earth.’_

(Later, much later, when the scenario was reversed and Akashi was desperately trying to convince Nijimura to forgive a couple of farmers for having stolen bread for their starving children after a crippling season of drought, only to have his King cut off his topknot for insubordination, had Akashi realized.

He was wrong.)

* * *

Most Kings, Furihata noticed, loved their _Kirins_ very much.

It was only logical. Kirins were born _for_ their Kings, in the truest sense of the word. To serve as second-in-command next to them. To offer advices with no ulterior motives. To submit and protect them, bowing only before them.

Kazunari could talk about anything under the sun, but Furihata _knew_ his favourite topic was Duke Midorima.

_‘Shin-chan is sooo adorable,’ he’d said for the umpteenth time, and would not hesitate to say again, ‘the other day, a little girl brought him a wreath of flowers when he visited a village in the province for inspection, and when she tugged on his robes, he-’_

“KING FURIHATA!!”

A loud squeal pulled the brunet out of his recollection. Furihata only had a moment to catch a blur of yellow and navy blue from the corner of his eyes before he was enveloped in fabric, velvet and silk pressing against his mouth and nose. “I was so, so excited to welcome you, Furihata-cchi!”

‘…-cchi?’ Furihata wondered, further disconcerted by his lack of breath.

Someone from his left laughed. “You’re suffocating him, Kise.”

Furihata was released so quickly he dropped to the floor without anything to support his weight. _Still,_ the _Taika_ thought as he rubbed his knees, _having air is still better._

“A-ah, you’re right, Kagami-cchi,” the blonde who stood before Furihata was so beautiful he seemed almost unreal, sunrays caught in his golden locks and the large earring hanging from his left ear, long lashes framing a pair of stunning almond-shaped, cat-like amber eyes. Akashi was pretty if one looked closely, delicate bone structure and hollows contouring fair, flawless skin, but this Kise was universally handsome, tall, broad-shouldered and long-limbed, with a straight nose and pink Cupid bow’s lips Furihata had no doubt if the blonde lived in his world, he would have been a model. “I’m sorry,” Kise pouted.

“It’s fine,” Furihata replied faintly. Those puppy eyes, they were lethal.

“And now, you’re seducing him,” someone from Furihata’s right sighed.

“I’m not!” Kise denied, puffing his cheeks at a black-robed official with eyes like a snake’s. “Minister Moriyama, I swear I’m loyal to Yukio-cchi! And I’m a _Kirin! Kirins_ don’t have carnal relations!” He spoke those embarrassing words with no problem though.

Furihata blinked. And scanned his assaulter from head to toe, his mouth gaping open. “You are…”

The blonde smirked and posed with his thumb. “The _Kirin_ of Kai, _Kaiki_! You can call me Kise! Nice to meet you!”

“Ah…nice to meet you too,” Furihata felt a little dumb. With that colouring, Kise was obviously a _Kirin._ In fact, he was the first Furihata had met fitting the textbook description of the holy beast _._ Akashi was a red one, and Midorima’s hair colour in his human form was different from his fur colour in his original form (‘ _Isn’t he more striking that way?’_ The Eagle King had gushed).

Minister Moriyama snorted. “You behave more like a dog half-beast [4] than a _Kirin._ ”

“I totally agree!” The huge man on Furihata’s left was dressed too sumptuously to be a clerk, his robe a rich shade of red, all black hems embroidered with silver threads. His hair was red, too, darker than Akashi’s, and partially covered by a crown on his head, a curtain of gold beads hanging down his face.

Predictably, Kise fumed. “You’re so mean!”

Somewhere, a bell rang, the chime echoing down the hallways, and the blonde turned abruptly toward the center of the Palace. “That’s our cue for the morning assembly! We gotta go! Sorry, Furihata-cchi!” The _Saiho_ of Kai grabbed Minister Moriyama, and promptly disappeared, leaving Furihata with the redhead with the booming voice.

“Such a ball of energy…” the latter trailed off, scratching his head as he continued to walk along the corridor. “I’m sorry for squeezing an appointment with King Kasamatsu and forcing you to reschedule. I should have known he would want some time to read my trade proposal.”

“Um…It’s okay,” _I think…Akashi might be inclined to disagree, though_. The brunet peered at his companion and mustered his courage. “…You are?”

The brawny man appeared surprised. “Oh, I haven’t introduced myself? How rude of me,” he smiled easily as he ushered Furihata into one of the gazebos in the garden, as though this Palace was his own home. The way he moved spoke of such _familiarity._ “I’m Kagami Taiga, the King of Sei. Congratulations on your ascension, King Furihata.”

 _Of course, why didn’t I think of it before_? The redhead had the air of someone extraordinary, a commanding aura belonging to a Military leader, at the very least. And with Sei as Kai’s neighbour (Shuu on her other side), King Kagami must have visited Kai’s Aquamarine Palace frequently.

The slight furrow of King Kagami’s massive brows told Furihata he’d been unresponsive too long. The brunet quickly replied, “Ah, thank you very much!”

 “So, how has it been?” The tiger-like man switched between formal language and casual sentences like he wasn’t quite used to the former. “I’m the second newest guy after you, so I understand your worries! If you have any questions, just spill!” He slapped Furihata’s back, the force leaving him reeling.

As the smaller man was recovering silently, the redhead added, more politely, “If you don’t mind.”

“I don’t mind,” Furihata repeated as he discreetly rubbed his sore back. “I’m lucky to have the opportunity to meet you, King Kagami.”

Furihata must have subconsciously searched for King Kagami’s _Kirin_ (after all, he’d rarely seen a King without his _Kirin_ ; Akashi barely left his side, back at Raku. He’d come to associate the two as a pair), and the redhead had noticed. “What’s up?”

“Ah, no,” Furihata blushed at having been caught. “I am wondering where _Seiki_ is.”

“Oh, Kuroko? He’d much rather attend to Rinkai’s issues than babysit me and put up with King Kasamatsu’s and my sports talk,” the redhead grinned.

 _Kirins_ were always the Governor of the province where the Capital resided, as well as any provinces lacking a leader. Akashi himself was said to have been the _best_ Governor of Sankyo.

(If _Kirins_ could be Kings, Furihata was sure Akashi would make a better ruler than him.)

King Kagami tilted his head when Furihata’s reacted by blinking profusely. “You were saying you just dropped by Shuu?” At the brunet’s nod, he chuckled. “We’re not joined at the hips like King Takao and Midorima are. What we have is different.”

Still, Furihata noted that King Kagami’s gaze was fond, his tone warm.

The _Taika_ snickered. “You’re just as bad, though.”

King Kagami’s eyes widened so much Furihata could see the white around his irises. For a moment, the brunet thought he’d offended his…new friend.

But King Kagami only released a full-belied laugh and gave Furihata another slap which rattled his teeth. “I’m not surprised!” The boisterous monarch wiped the tears off his eyes. “Having a good relationship with our _Kirins_ is important, okay?” He defended himself halfheartedly.

Furihata smiled at his companion’s mirth, before he contemplated whether to voice out a _doubt_ that had been nagging him.

The redhead monarch was, indeed, closest to him in profile. Newest rulers aside, they both…

Had a predecessor chosen by the same _Kirin_ that now stood by their side.

“…You’re the pensive sort, huh?” King Kagami slouched to the round stone table between them.

Furihata bit his lip. _Here goes nothing._ “Have you ever had _Seiki…_ Kuroko look at you, and wonder if he’s not seeing **_you_**?”

King Kagami’s expression changed. Gone was the light-hearted atmosphere he’d worn like a cloak, replaced by an intense stare. “Do you know _Shitsudou?_ ”

The non-sequitur threw Furihata off for a moment. “The disease of injustice…?”

King Kagami scoffed sardonically, like the textbook explanation was a joke. The cheeriness that had characterized him disappeared without a trace. “If we ever find ourselves in a situation where the world is better off with us dead,” the coldness of his voice chilled Furihata to the bone. “Our time will be quick. Sure, our people, the people we have a duty to, whom we have wronged, may want to torture us, but really, they’ll just want our wretched reign over. Most likely, an instance, and we won’t have noticed we are no more.”

 _Stop_ , Furihata wanted to cover his ears, protect his mind from the morbidity. _Please stop._

“But _Shitsudou_ can take _years_ to manifest,” King Kagami closed his eyes, and inhaled deeply. “It is _Kirins_ who suffer for their masters’ wrongdoings. Of course, they can’t trust again, so easily.”

As Furihata was breathing quickly, filled with dread, a large, calloused palm covered the back of his hand.

“Don’t worry,” King Kagami offered the brunet a gentle smile, just like that. “I know you’ll try your damnest to do best by Akashi.”

Furihata exerted all his willpower to prevent himself from crying, and promised to treasure his partner.

“ _Hai!_ ”

* * *

_Akashi remembered Nijimura experiencing one moment of lucidity as the rebels, hungry for blood, closed in around them._

_The raven-haired man had looked up at his red Kirin, metallic grey eyes wide and filled with confusion, regret, pain – dozens of emotions at once – his lips trembling as he lifted his hands, limbs coated in the rusty liquid of life, to his face._

_‘Akashi,’ his eyes were saying, ‘What have you turned me into?’_

_Then, the axe fell upon his neck._

Akashi screamed.

TBC

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1\. This is not a monster from the original 12 Kingdoms anime. I made it up from Queen Himiko who was rumoured to be Japan’s prophetess in 300s A.D. https://heritageofjapan.wordpress.com/yayoi-era-yields-up-rice/the-advent-of-agriculture-and-the-rice-revolution/who-was-queen-himiko/  
> 2\. Yeah, I love Haikyuu too. Will try writing a 12 Kingdoms AU for them after figuring out the King-Kirin pairs. I can’t get Kirin Suga as Seijou’s out of my mind (my OTP is OiSuga oh noes). Btw, I'm selling Haikyuu keychains. Please check out my LJ: http://aria-dc-al-fine.livejournal.com/#post-aria_dc_al_fine-21588  
> 3\. http://12kingdoms.wikia.com/wiki/Shitsudou  
> 4\. Hanjyuu (半獣) is a half-beast that has both a human and an animal form. They can change between forms at will. http://12kingdoms.wikia.com/wiki/Hanjyuu


	3. There are no coincidences; just the inevitable.

_He wouldn’t let the scent of sweets tempt him today. Or tomorrow. Or the whole of next week, for that matter._

_‘Youki,’ the soothing voice of Genkun Satsuki Momoi, the High Oracle of Mount Hou and the leader of the fifty female sages dedicated to caring and protecting young Kirins born in the holy land, washed over the large-framed Kirin. ‘Youki, please,’ Satsuki pleaded, ‘So many of your subjects have braved the ferocious demons in the Yellow Seas and completed their pilgrimage only for a chance to meet you.’_

_‘Go away,’ the purple-haired Kirin of the northern Kingdom of You mumbled, face hidden in his large, long arms. ‘I don’t want to select a King. I don’t want to govern. It’s too troublesome.’_

_Youki couldn’t see the pink-haired Goddess’s face from his hiding spot, but he knew, without a doubt, that there was a frown there. ‘Youki, you’re already twenty-eight years old,’ she sighed. ‘If you don’t appoint a ruler within two years, you’ll die.’_

_Kirins could only live thirty years without a King [1]. Youki knew his days were numbered, but he was fine. He wouldn’t be the first Kirin to have died without having chosen a ruler._

_Later, as he sneaked into the kitchen, creeping behind the rocks soundlessly, he caught the grumbling of some of his King candidates. ‘What a useless beast,’ one of them scoffed, ‘He cannot even fulfill the purpose of his existence.’_

_‘May be he is carefully observing us, somewhere,’ one of them remarked hopefully, ‘Look at Sei and Raku. Their Kirins were too young and hasty to select their Kings. Ours taking his time is not a bad thing.’_

_Someone stomped his foot loudly, the sound followed by ceramic crashing noisily on the ground. ‘Don’t kid with me!’ A man growled. ‘We’ve not a decent harvest for decades! People are dying left right centre from drought, floods and attacks from demons! How long more are we supposed to wait!?’_

_Youki scowled. Often, on the cusp of sleep, images of Akashi doubled over in pain, brittle skin of ugly spots tearing, haunted him. Even now, a year after the evil King had been executed, Akashi was a shadow, jittery and so, so scared (though he would never admit it), so unlike the prideful creature who had taught Youki how to settle into a human form and how to make a pact with demons._

_‘What do you humans know?’ Youki grumbled, and continued on his way._

_Boycotting was his revenge._

* * *

“What was your impression on your predecessor?”

Hours of waiting passed in the blink of an eye as Furihata conversed with King Kagami. The brawny monarch was simple (no, Furihata didn’t mean anything derogatory by that!) and relatable. The brunet didn’t feel that King Kagami’s mind was already two, three steps ahead, unlike the impression he got from Kazunari or Akashi.

(It made him hope, ‘ah, someone as ordinary as me could be a King, too.’)

“Eh, I don’t remember,” the redhead simply spoke what was on in mind. It was refreshing. “When King Aomine ascended, I wasn’t born yet. By the time I joined the army, he wasn’t around the Capital much. He abdicated soon after.”

Furihata frowned as he chewed on his food. “The court…had functioned without him, even when he was still King?”

As the sun rose higher in the sky, Kai’s servants had ushered the royal guests inside and served them brunch, which the redhead _inhaled_.

(Furihata, though, froze at the rice, _natto_ [2], miso soup, _nikujaga_ [3] and _oyakodon_ [4] served. He missed home so sharply his sight had turned blurry for a while.)

“Of course,” King Kagami winced as he chewed the fermented soy beans [2]. After he tried his best to spit them out neatly, he continued, “Riko and Hyuuga – my clerks, I mean – are good. They know their stuff. It’s because of them the government didn’t crumble when there was no King.”

“That’s true…” The crease between Furihata's brows didn't unfurl.

King Kagami blinked at his companion, sensing that he was upset. “Raku-Ou,” he began, but was interrupted by a knock on the door.

A short-haired man entered, his back ramrod straight and his gaze direct as he addressed the brunet, “I apologize for having made you wait.” To Furihata’s ears, his command of _Keigo_ [5] was flawless.

In this world, Kings were bestowed titles which were homophones to the Kingdoms they ruled. The King of Shuu (秀王) Takao Kazunari was Shuu-Ou (鷲王), the Eagle King, and the King of Sei (誠王) Kagami Taiga was Sei-Ou (清王), the Pure King. A lot of thought had generally gone into the titles, and for the two Kings aforementioned, Furihata felt they fit. His own, Raku-Ou (烙王), the Burning King, was slightly inaccurate, but Furihata supposed the officials had hoped for a passionate monarch, and he could be passionate about things. Like basketball.

Nothing, however, could be more off the mark than the title of Kasamatsu Yukio, Kai-Ou (快王).

快, noun: 1. Pleasure, delight, enjoyment, 2. Cheerful, pleasant, agreeable.

And King Kasamatsu was _neither_ of the two definitions Furihata had recalled from his grade school textbook.

The upward slant of his defined brows and his austere mien spoke of discipline. In the pale grey kimono and dark blue hakama [6] he was wearing, he reminded Furihata of a kendo coach in middle school, the serious man the reason behind the trophies lining the headmaster’s glass cabinet.

“King Kasamatsu, is that what people wear in the other world?” King Kagami fawned over the dark-haired man animatedly, peering at the pleats and the straps as he hovered. Had the King of Kai not been carrying himself _so_ properly, Furihata betted the redhead would have touched the fabric.

“These are terms drafted in response to your proposal. Please look through them,” the King of Kai was already halfway to presenting a scroll to the taller monarch when the latter came over, so he completed that action first. “And no, these are traditional clothes,” he answered the redhead’s question, before his eyes slid to Furihata, lips curving to a rueful smile. “I suppose the Japanese hardly wear them now.”

Furihata’s eyes widened. That was the first time he caught a glimpse of the other _Taika_ ’s true expression, beyond his mask of politeness. _King Kasamatsu Yukio was appointed approximately thirty years ago,_ Furihata did the math, and belatedly realized, _He looks like he’s in his twenties but he’s…about my dad’s age._

Oblivious to the brunet’s thoughts, King Kagami took a step back, humming as his eyes scanned through the text. “You’re efficient, as usual.”

Expectedly, King Kasamatsu denied it. “I am nothing of the sort.”

“Yukio-cchi!” Kise suddenly barged in, a cloak draped over his arms. “I saw rainstorm clouds coming; it’s gonna get cold so please wear this!” He held the garment up with an expectant smile.

( _Here it is,_ a thought crossed Furihata’s head inadvertently, _a Kirin who is both delighted and pleasant._ )

Furihata and King Kasamatsu stared at the velvet, gemstones sewed in the gold hems. Kise was surreptitiously telling his monarch to dress up for his royal guests.

Indeed, Furihata had noted that Kai’s Aquamarine Palace was grand, but did not look as lavish as Shuu’s. A thirty-year-reign was still considered short against the Eagle King’s two centuries.

King Kasamatsu sighed. “I’m sure Furihata-kun is more comfortable with what I’m wearing now, Kise.”

The honorific surprised the brunet. _How many weeks has it been since I heard someone call me that?_

“Eeeh, but,” Kise pouted as he eyed the dark-haired ruler from head to toe, “they’re so plain…”

A vein popped on King Kasamatsu’s temple. “Ki…se…” he warned through gritted teeth.

The blonde noble beast released a sound resembling an ‘eeep!’ as he scuttled behind King Kagami. “Kagami-cchi, Yukio-cchi needs to talk to Furihata-cchi; why don’t I escort you out?” He grabbed the redhead’s arm.

King Kagami laughed. “Sure, sure,” he humoured the _Kirin_ before giving King Kasamatsu a parting wave. ”My clerks and I will review the terms. I’ll see you again…in two days?”

King Kasamatsu nodded and hummed in thought. “The hour of the Monkey [7]?”

King Kagami confirmed. “Good for me.”

When the door closed behind them, Furihata felt the gap left by the two with larger-than-life presence so keenly he was frozen in his chair.

The brunet sensed King Kasamatsu’s eyes on him, before the older man sat on the seat King Kagami had vacated and cleared his throat. “I’ve considered your questions.”

When he received a written letter – _written_ letter, not a message through _Seichou_ – inquiring Furihata what he would like to find out from King Kasamatsu, the brunet had been amazed, and a little nervous. Kazunari hadn’t gone through such lengths for him, just _winging it_ most of the time, but now Furihata could see that King Kasamatsu was the type who prepared for _everything_.

“T-thank you,” Furihata stuttered.

“Please don’t mention it,” the older _Taika_ folded his hands. “Shall I start with…my history?”

Furihata nodded quickly. “Please.”

“I was born in Yokohama, Showa 34 [8],” King Kasamatsu began, his eyes zeroing on a spot on Furihata’s forehead. “I was camping at Miyagi with my college mates when I felt tremors under my feet, before the ground gave way and everything turned black. When I opened my eyes, I was already here.”

 _The Showa 53 Miyagi earthquake_ [9], Furihata’s mind supplied, before the implication hit him: _King Kasamatsu arrived here as a mountain guest_ [10] _._

“A bear half-beast, Kobori, saved me, and even found me a job with then Provincial Army General Takeuchi Genta,” the dark-haired monarch recounted. “I was part of his entourage when he decided to climb Mt Hou to present himself as a King candidate to _Kaiki_. We were almost killed by demons when that blonde holy creature came, smiling like a loon and saying, with flashy gestures, ‘Welcome! I’ve been waiting for you!’”

“Wait, wait!” Furihata was so full of confusion he exploded. And blushed in embarrassment for his outburst. “You’re saying...Kise did not pick you up from Japan like Akashi did with me?”

King Kasamatsu stared at the brunet, a whirlwind of emotions going through his eyes. Furihata caught the tail end of _jealousy_ before the older man’s face was impenetrable again. “That’s right.”

Furihata’s knees gave way. “That’s…” he was rendered speechless.

_You’re so strong._

King Kasamatsu raised his brow when no other word was forthcoming from his companion. “ _Kaiki_ bowed to me instead of to General Takeuchi and well,” Kai-Ou shrugged, “the rest, you can read from history textbooks.”

Furihata could not imagine the hardships King Kasamatsu had gone through, the hardships he had simply downplayed in his recollection. The brunet had found this world bizarre enough with Akashi by his side.

“Just like that?” Furihata exclaimed in disbelief. “How did you cope? You made it sound so easy.”

King Kasamatsu flinched. “Of course, it wasn’t easy,” he pursed his lips, his gaze hardening. Somehow, Furihata had hit bingo and managed to flick a switch somewhere within the serious man. “I thought it was a dream and my real body was in a hospital bed somewhere, comatose. I thought it was an elaborate prank, and there were hidden cameras capturing my reactions to inconsiderate audience somewhere who thought they were _hilarious_. I thought I had gone round the bend.” He was breathing faster and faster, one hand clutching his chest. “The cold, the starvation, the pain from where demons attacked me – they were real. The day-to-day struggle for survival was real.”  The dam had been broken.

“I sold and bartered away everything, and the only thing that reminded me that my life in Japan was not an imagination was this,” King Kasamatsu pulled out a pouch from around his neck, and passed it to Furihata. The latter opened it carefully, and retrieved an old laminated student card, the photo and the paper yellowing, yet the brunet could tell how much it’d been treasured.

When the words written on the card registered in Furihata’s mind, his eyebrows disappeared into his hairline.

_Tokyo University, Junior Division_

So…Kasamatsu Yukio was an intelligent young man. If he didn’t end up here, he would have been able to climb up the corporate ladder of a large multinational corporation. With Japan in her economic boom in the 1980s, by now he could have been a director, married with two teenage kids and a house-

“Why did you decide you’ll stay here?” the brunet’s voice trembled.

There was a pocket of silence, so oppressive Furihata didn’t dare looking up. _Have I gone too far? But I don’t want to retract it. I need to know, I need to make peace with this world, I need-_

The older _Taika_ sighed. “I tried very hard to find a way back to Japan, believe me. I must have hurt myself a lot in my various stupid attempts,” he rubbed his temples and slumped in his chair, suddenly looking like he had the world on his shoulders. “I was here for seven years, before I was appointed. Seven years of living with Kai citizens, understanding them and hoping, together with them, for a King to ascend to the throne. For the demons to disappear and for barren lands to be fertile. When it turned out I was that King…how could I betray them?”

“B-but…” Furihata gulped. The hakama, the miso, the natto, so close to original but not enough, there was some ingredients missing. His tongue could tell, his brain screaming _something’s not right!_ “Don’t you miss home? Your parents, your sibling…”

King Kasamatsu closed his eyes. It was a simple action, yet deep lines seemed to have sunk into his face, causing it to look decades older.  

“The one time I was sure that my having drifted here had not been a delusion…was the moment I peered into the Kirin of Ne Kingdom’s _gogoukanda_ , a magical artefact that can open a portal to Japan without causing a magical storm,” he licked his lip, his throat bobbing. The short-haired man’s voice was hoarse and brittle, but he made no move for his cup.

Furihata understood. _He didn’t want the tea to wash down the words that must be taking him much courage to say._

“I…I saw that my family had moved on.”

Furihata took a sharp breath. Colours began to fade, darkness creeping in till his vision narrowed to a thin line. Vaguely, he thought he’d fainted, but he could still hear King Kasamatsu’s monotonous voice, like he wasn’t describing a painful memory, merely facts he’d read somewhere else. “I saw Aki, my first younger brother, graduating from university and holding hands with his girlfriend. I saw my second younger brother Fuyuki's basketball trophies lining up the cabinet. I saw Mum starting yoga, and dad transferred back from Sapporo. I was just…” he choked, once, but recovered after taking a huge breath, “a tablet in my home shrine, photos in the living room [11].”

Furihata clutched the fabric of his pants tightly, nails digging into his thigh, but he could barely feel it.

“Did you…say good bye?” he asked without thinking, his voice faraway.

The shaking of King Kasamatsu’s head was just a blurry movement at the periphery of his sight. “It would do more harm than good.”

Tears streamed down Furihata’s cheeks before he could stop them, intense fear filling him, followed by an _unbearable_ urge to flee. _I don’t want to be forgotten-_

“Furihata-kun!” The fingers curled firmly around the back of his hand brought the brunet back to where he was, to wooden chairs and silky embroideries, a pair of steel blue eyes _demanding_ his attention and anchoring him. “Breathe!” he commanded.

The shock jolted the brunet out of his panic. As Furihata pacified his heart, King Kasamatsu smiled wistfully. “If I had stayed in Japan and have a son, he must be around your age now,” he commented, still holding on to the younger _Taika_ ’s hand.

Furihata’s eyes widened. So he wasn’t the only one who’d thought that.

“Don’t get me wrong. I regret nothing,” the older man’s voice was calm, as was his expression. “Instead,” he began as he rose to his feet and walked to the windows, opening the sills and letting the sunlight in, along with noises from the army training on the backyard. A smile returned to King Kasamatsu’s face as he leaned over the railing, no anguish left. “All Kai citizens are my children. Not a bad trade, eh?”

Furihata found no trace of dishonesty in his declaration.

“Kai’s lucky to have you,” Furihata beamed. “Kasamatsu-senpai.”

Kasamatsu stared at the brunet long and hard, before he laughed, his expression so unguarded he looked like the college student he’d been, ages ago.

And if Furihata had caught something glinting in his dark eyelashes, well, it must have been a trick of his mind.

TBC

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1\. I didn’t recall having heard this in the anime, but I guess it’s in the novels: http://12kingdoms.wikia.com/wiki/Kirin  
> 2\. Natto: as mentioned, it’s fermented soybeans. Generally eaten for breakfast and more popular in Eastern regions such as Kanto, Tohoku and Hokkaido, Natto may be an acquired taste because of its powerful smell, strong flavor, and slimy texture. I’ve personally eaten it and found it okay. Didn’t hate it, didn’t love it either. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natt%C5%8D  
> 3\. Nikujaga: Japanese-style beef stew, Kasamatsu’s favourite food according to Characters Bible. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nikujaga  
> 4\. Oyakodon: literally (and quite sarcastically) means ‘parent and child rice bowl dish’, in which chicken, egg, sliced scallion, and other ingredients are all simmered together in a sauce and then served on top of a large bowl of rice. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oyakodon  
> 5\. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hakama  
> 6\. Keigo: loosely refers to honorific patterns of speech in Japanese which show respect, their use mandatory in many social situations. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honorific_speech_in_Japanese  
> 7\. Ancient China and Japan labeled times of the day using the twelve Zodiac animals. The hour of the Monkey is 3-5pm. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_zodiac#Hours  
> 8\. Japanese calendar is based on the Era of the incumbent Emperor. We are currently in Heisei 27, because the current Emperor Akihito ascended in 1989 (Heisei 1). Before Heisei was Showa, which lasted 63 years from 1926 (Showa 1) to 1989 (Showa 64/Heisei 1). Showa 34 is 1959.  
> 9\. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1978_Miyagi_earthquake  
> 10\. Remember ‘sea guests’ from chapter 1? Same concept, just arriving from the mountain instead.  
> 11\. A person is declared legally dead after being missing for 7 years. The time frame may be reduced in cases like mass disasters, and the 1978 Miyagi Earthquake, though has a low death count, can be considered one.
> 
> I don't actually like how this chapter turned out, too much 'telling' instead of 'showing', but I don't want to be stuck in a writer's block, and I want to be able to post the next chapter ASAP. Next chapter's Kikasa, and I totally forgot 4/7 is Kikasa day.
> 
> May be some day I may replace/majorly edit this chapter. Suggestions on how to improve it are welcome.


	4. A Kirin’s Wish

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I lied. More cameos of Haikyuu King-Kirin pairs can be seen in this chapter.
> 
> Also, I wanted to finish writing Kise-Kasamatsu background in this chapter, but that'll be too long. I'm keeping each chapter at 2000-3000 words. 
> 
> I'm 7 days late to Kikasa day T_T but here is my submission. 
> 
> Hope you'll enjoy.

_“You’re a liar.”_

_Kaiki wrenched his eyes away from the sight of Sei-Ou Aomine confidently holding a conversation with Kei Kingdom’s stoic Ushijima Wakatoshi, an intimidating large-framed man of few words, with his equally impassionate Kirin, Tsukishima, observing behind him [1]. The older King’s partiality toward Sei’s previous King Oikawa Tooru (and resentment toward his successor) was well-known amongst the rulers, but Aomine hadn’t let it deter him. Kaiki was fascinated by the dark-skinned ruler’s tenacity, the muted pride in Kuroko’s face, and-_

_“Huh?” The golden-eyed Kirin turned to his master._

_The short-haired man clenched his fists. “You definitely had not been waiting for me.”_

_Kaiki was puzzled. “What are you…?” He racked his brain, and remembered his first words to Kasamatsu._

_Kai-Ou seemed to hesitate, before he continued, “I am your King, am I not?” His fingers dug into his armrests. “Then, pay attention to me.”_

_Kaiki blushed in shame. Yet, a fire sparked in him. The same fire that was kindled when he first laid his eyes on this courageous man._

_“I will,” he promised._

* * *

_The first time Kaiki met Aomine Daiki, he’d felt **jealous.**_

“ _Seiki-cchi!” The blonde had spotted his favourite white Kirin after returning from Shirei-hunting, and quickly dashed down the meandering stairs of Mt Hou to throw his arms around him. “I miss you! How have you been? Is living outside better?” The blonde went on and on as he squeezed, never running out of questions._

_Kaiki was so excited by the sight of his friend, he’d missed the fact that there was a Suugu nearby [2]. The gigantic tiger was spooked by the blonde’s sudden barging into its line of sight, and roared, hind legs crouched as it prepared to charge, front right paw ready to swipe._

_“Kaiki!” Kaiki’s Nyokai [3], the female chimera born to protect her Kirin and be his or her first lifelong companion, emerged from his shadow, her own claws bared at the possible threat._

_“Seisai!” A dark-skinned man with sharp blue-eyed gaze growled, leanly muscled arms pulling at the leash around the powerful tiger. In a fluid jump that spoke of natural grace and a bit of wildness, the man straddled the Suugu’s neck, subjugating it. His limbs were long and beautiful, belaying overwhelming strength despite the slenderness._

_“Tetsu, are you all right?” The man hollered as he scratched the back of the tiger’s ears, like it was just an oversized house-pet._

_‘Tetsu?’ Kaiki wondered as the blue-haired Kirin wriggled in his hold. “I’m fine, Your Majesty,” Seiki replied, before he glared at Kaiki. “What were you thinking!?”_

_Kaiki blinked. “I’m sorry,” he trailed off, distracted by the **blinding** Kingly Aura emanating from the stranger’s figure. _

_The silence didn’t last long. Kaiki continued running off his mouth. “You must be the King Seiki-cchi had selected! Are you here to receive Heaven’s consecration of your throne? By the way, who’s Tetsu?”_

_A thin, dark blue brow rose. “So this is the annoying chatty friend you’ve been telling me, huh?” the man remarked as he slid down his beast’s fur, landing seamlessly on the ground on two feet. A tanned arm grabbed Seiki and pulled, extricating him from Kaiki’s octopus hands. “My Kirin, of course. I named him Kuroko Tetsuya. Kuroko, for he would be my most loyal behind-the-scene supporter, and Tetsuya, because he is wise [4].”The King of Sei flashed Kaiki a shit-eating grin that brightened his handsome face and made Kaiki’s heart stop._

_Seiki – Kuroko – blushed, his pale cheeks fetching in pink._

_“Oh,” ugly green monsters began to corrode Kaiki’s insides. How he wanted to have a ruler who gave him such a beautiful name that perfectly represented his worth, a ruler who could barely contain his magnificence in his skin._

_‘Why did you have to be born in Sei?’ the blonde thought in despair._

_Kaiki quickly masked it with an indignant cry. “Annoying? Am I annoying? You’re so mean Sei-” he stopped himself at the last minute. “Kuroko-cchi!”_

_A smile crept his way onto Kuroko’s face unwittingly, before the petite Kirin cleared his throat. “If you put the amount of time you talk into searching for your King, you would have found one by now.”_

_Kaiki pouted. He knew Kuroko wasn’t serious; only the Gods knew when they would send a revelation to the Kirins, anyways. “I swear my King’s gonna be cooler than yours!” Still, Kaiki declared loudly, half joking._

_But also half serious._

_“Bring it on,” Kuroko remarked, a twinkle in his pale eyes._

* * *

_It was easier said than done._

_“Come on, Ki-chan,” Momoi dragged the blonde out of bed. “Please get ready. Plenty of King Candidates to meet in today’s Day of Safe Passage!”_

_Kaiki yawned widely. “I’ve been to so many Days of Safe Passage,” he grumbled as he rubbed his eyes. “There are four of them in a year, and it’s been…what, five, six years? What makes you think I’ll meet the King of Kai today, when I’ve searched through the streets like combing through the haystack for a needle?”_

_“A-ah, what’s with this pessimism?” The pink-haired Goddess placed her hands on her waist and sighed. “Ki-chan, this is unlike you!”_

_Kaiki puffed his cheeks. “Why am I the only one with that nickname [5]?”_

_Momoi laughed. “It’s because you never got rid of that childish attitude! Kuroko and Akashi had already behaved like adults when they were thirteen, you know!”_

_So Kaiki huffed, let the female sages doll him up in majestic shades of blue, and walked through the tiled path to the Palace where he would assess candidates from behind the screens, neat rows of bowed heads on his left and right._

_The next few hours were spent lounging on his chair, shifting every few minutes to avoid having a sore back and trying his best to stifle his giggles at his helpers’ comical remarks, comparisons of certain candidates’ physique or expressions to that of animals or inanimate objects. Momoi would disapprove, if she were there, but nobody had caught Kaiki’s interest._

_Shortly before noon, Kaiki stretched. “I’m hungry.”_

_They closed shop, and as Kaiki led his groupie down the rows of bowed heads again, he sensed it._

_An aura akin to King Aomine’s._

_Kaiki turned sharply in the direction of the Yellow sea. “He’s out there.”_

_All of a sudden, panic filled the blonde, and before he knew it, Kaiki was already riding his leopard demon, hougo, shooting across the sky like he had fire on his heels._

_“Kaiki!” The sages called him, but his Nyokai and Shirei were the only ones who could follow him._

_The blonde followed the faint pull desperately – almost losing it several times – until he spotted a ship rocking dangerously in the waves, a flock of massive horned crows, kochou [6], surrounding it, aggressively attacking the passengers with their lethal talons and beaks._

_Most men on the sinking ship – including an army general, judging by his clothes – were cowering under whatever cover they could find, but there were five who were still fighting. Among them were a bear half-beast and-_

_‘The one,’ Kaiki’s mind told him._

_He was neither tall nor brawny, neither handsome nor graceful, but his gaze was **fierce** as he wielded his sword against the demons, light-footed as he dodged and charged. He was shouting instructions to his mates while flitting through spaces and wooden surfaces agilely, his command of his surroundings impeccable. _

_“Kaiki?” his Nyokai’s query snapped the Kirin into action – it would not do to let his King die here, after all – and with the help of all his Shirei, Kaiki dispelled the vermin birds and transported the survivors to Mt Hou._

_“Kaiki!” The female sages fussed over the blonde, pulling him away from the men whose bloodied wounds and bruises could weaken him, but Kaiki only had eyes on the steely-blue-eyed fighter._

_As he willed the bile to stay down, Kaiki flashed an upbeat grin as he spread his arms, hoping to display himself at his best. “Welcome! I’ve been waiting for you!”_

_Far from impressed, the man with the straight, thick brows frowned at the Kirin. “You…” he fumed as he approached, veins popping on his temple as he raised his hand over his head…_

_And punched the Kirin. On his left cheek._

_“Kaiki!”The female sages quickly rushed in to form a protective barrier around the Kirin, cushioning his fall. The bear hanjyuu exclaimed, horrified, “What are you thinking, Yukio!? You’ll lose your head-”_

_“Do you find it fun?” Yukio heaved as he trembled, anger burning in his eyes. “Do you enjoy watching King Candidates squirm against the demons before you swoop in at the last minute and tell them, ‘Welcome, but what a pity, you’ve failed the test!’? Did you spare a thought to my comrades, who lost their lives in the Yellow Sea-” [7]_

_Kaiki could only watch in awe, dark spots forming before his eyes from how brilliant this man’s Kingly Aura was. Like he’d been staring at the sun too long._

_“Did you-” Yukio stopped abruptly as Kaiki rose to his feet, standing taller than the dark-haired man and staring him down. Uncertainty filled Yukio’s countenance, but he was still putting up a brave front. “What? I don’t regret-”_

_He was stunned speechless when Kaiki’s lips curled to a soft smile._

_From Yukio’s bewildered expression, Kaiki guessed he must be thinking, ‘did I hit him too hard?’ The Kirin almost chuckled as he lowered his knees to the ground and bowed, his forehead pressed on his hands._

_“I will never desert my post before your throne or disobey your orders. I swear to be loyal to you,” Kaiki spoke the vow he’d been dying to make for years, his heart beating excitedly under his ribcage._

_The silence stretched for too long. Kaiki peered up, and would have found the disbelieving goldfish look on Yukio’s face funny if his face wasn’t so shut off._

_“…I…” he took a step back, “I’m a mountain guest. There must be some kind of a mistake.”_

_‘No!’ Kaiki’s heart sunk. “There is no mistake,” his voice took on a pleading quality as he raised his head. “You are Kai’s King.”_

_“There is no way an outsider like me is a King. You should consider our master, General Takeuchi. He is a devoted citizen of Kai,” Yukio babbled as he continued to distance himself from the Kirin until his back hit the bear half-beast. The latter placed a huge paw on his compact shoulders. “Captain Kasamatsu.”_

_With these two words, Kasamatsu Yukio’s head drooped._

_Silence descended upon them again, until the man who’d rejected Kaiki began, weakly, “I heard Kirins can open a portal to Japan, the land beyond the void sea…”_

* * *

_“Kenma!” Genkun Momoi Satsuki smiled as she spotted him landing near the Mother Tree that bear the fruit of every Kirin ever born. “Thank you so much for heeding our urgent request.”_

_“It’s nothing, Lady Momoi,” the Kirin of Ne Kingdom greeted her back with much less enthusiasm, catlike golden eyes regarding the Goddess calmly as the holy creature inhabiting the body of a short male teenager wavered on his feet, his red and black robes seemingly swamping him. “Kuroo said hi.”_

_“Ah, Kenma,” the pink-haired High Oracle tutted, “you should address your ruler with more respect.”_

_The blonde Kirin with unusual black rooted manes – the rarity considered good luck upon the success of his King’s reign – yawned. “It’s hard to respect someone whose bad habits you’ve had to endure for three hundred years…”_

_(Kaiki hated the tiny, revered difference in their colouring, the casual way he dissed a life most Kirin could only wish for.)_

_Momoi laughed and ruffled his hair. “Get me more of those sweets that resemble your head from beyond the Void Sea, won’t you?”_

_Kenma furrowed his brows, the shift in his facial muscles almost unnoticeable. “My head is not like pudding…” he murmured._

_Kasamatsu Yukio’s face looked conflicted as Momoi introduced him to Neki. “I-I'll b-be in your care,” he stuttered, his legs shivering so badly they looked like they were about to collapse._

_There was no way Kenma had missed it (very little passed by Neki’s observant eyes unnoticed), but he didn’t say a word as the two entered the study._

_Kaiki paced anxiously outside as he waited, Momoi’s worried gaze following him. Yukio had strictly expressed that he didn’t want any company when he checked on the world he had come from, and the thought that he would never return, that he would abandon Kaiki and this world without looking back, scared the Kirin so much his chest felt like it had constricted, the air around his nose thin, and he couldn’t breathe-_

_After what seemed like an eternity, Yukio emerged from the room, haunted and ashen, his mouth a white line, twitching like he was holding back tears. But he didn’t shed any of them. He only smiled wanly at Kenma, who was supporting him with one hand on the small of his back. “Thank you,” he said sincerely, despite the breathlessness, the crushing pain in the cadence, and straightened himself._

_Kenma stared at him, and let go._

_“…Congratulations,” the quiet, spooky Kirin told his junior on his way to presenting his food offering to Momoi._

_Kaiki stiffened, before he hastened to Yukio’s side, wanting to hug him desperately, but did not think it appreciated by the recipient._

_“…Kaiki,” the blonde turned, and was met with that resolve up close. “I accept,” Yukio gave his answer._

_Kaiki was so relieved he cried._

_(To this day, Kasamatsu Yukio had only shared what he saw to one person._

_Kenma’s lips remained sealed.)_

TBC

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1\. I debated over who should be Kuroo’s Kirin, Kenma or Tsukishima (both smart and match Kuroo) and Kenma won since I’m partial to KuroKen. I definitely want Tsukishima to be a Kirin though (he’s so blonde!), and was pairing characters into King-Kirin combinations when I stumbled upon the latest manga chapter and thought, ‘hmm, may be Ushiwaka/Tsukki ship may sail?’ *shot* Please let me know what you think!  
> 2\. http://12kingdoms.wikia.com/wiki/Suugu  
> 3\. http://12kingdoms.wikia.com/wiki/Nyokai  
> 4\. In the original Twelve Kingdoms, Kirins don’t have names. They are simply ‘name of Kingdom’ + ‘ki’ (for males) or ‘rin’ (for females), e.g. Seiki, Youki, Kaiki, Shuuki, Rakuki. All of our GOM Kirins have been named by their Kings.  
> 5\. The ‘Ki’ of Momoi’s canon nickname for Kise is 黄, the 'ki' of Kise (黄瀬), but here it’s 麒, the 'ki' of kirin (麒麟). Basically he’s complaining why he’s the only one she calls ‘Kirin-chan’. As mentioned in [4], Kaiki had not received his name from Kasamatsu yet.  
> 6\. http://12kingdoms.wikia.com/wiki/Kochou  
> 7\. I know the dialogue is different than the one drafted by the pixiv artist, but I think this one is more suitable. The one written by the pixiv artist made Kasamatsu sound…self-entitled?


	5. Trials of a Taika

“‘As long as there is a king who follows Heaven’s mandates on the throne, natural disasters and attacks by demons will be averted. The Gods will protect the land.’ Have you been fed this crap?”

Furihata looked up from his tea with a start. The vulgar word was jarring, especially so when spoken by a man who had been behaving properly till now. “Y-yes,” the brunet responded reflexively, still wrapping his head around this uncharacteristic brashness.

“If any man will do, why have so many Kings gone astray?” Kasamatsu continued derisively. “‘We have experienced, smart clerks. It’ll be easy,’ have you thought that?”

To this, Furihata shook his head vehemently. The Grand Master of Cavalry Hayama Kotarou, one of his three lords-of-court Mibuchi Reo and Forbidden Army Major General Eikichi Nebuya had been kind and helpful to him, but Furihata couldn’t say the same of the rest. They were always bowing at him so he could never tell what expressions they wore, but the brunet had the feeling they didn’t expect much from him, would rather he be a puppet monarch and leave the clockwork of governance to them. Often, they reacted like his curiousity was intrusive. His _Daisohaku_ of the Ministry of Rites, Mayuzumi Chihiro, was even openly defensive sometimes.  

Letting the sleeping dogs lie was best for self-preservation, but deep down, Furihata knew he wouldn’t be able to live with himself if he did.

“…That looks like the face of someone who knows how it feels to be shut out,” Kasamatsu commented.

Furihata leaned forward and grabbed his chance. “Kasamatsu-senpai, do you have any advices on how to break through and earn the trust of the clerks?” he asked earnestly.

The dark-haired man stared at his companion, his eyes judging, but Furihata must have passed, because a smile emerged on the older monarch’s face.

“Knowing who you can trust is more important,” he countered, retrieved a piece of paper and began to draw diagrams. “Some Kings had become corrupt because they were surrounded by lies, empty praises and misleading information. Some people are not worth winning; you have to decide who you’ll keep.”

Furihata blinked and retracted in his seat. “...But…”

Kasamatsu sensed his hesitation and latched on to it before it could grow. “To be an effective leader, one has to make tough decisions at times.”

Furihata knew that. He would rather not hurt anyone…but…

His gaze hardened. “How do I begin to identify them?”

* * *

_“If I may voice out my mind, Your Majesty,” the Prime Minister, Haizaki Shougo replied to Kai-Ou’s ideas, barely hiding his sneer as he rubbed his lip with his thumb, “It might have worked in the land beyond the Void Sea, but our Kingdom is different. Our treasury just does not have that level of resources. Also, our society may be harmed by such a policy.”_

_Kasamatsu clenched his fists. “How can you even suggest that having an educated population is not-”_

_Sensing the tension in the room heightening to unbearable levels, Kaiki intervened. “Ah, Your Majesty and milord, let’s take a step back, all right?” He put on a wide, conciliatory smile. “Perhaps it’s best to refine the proposal with the lords-of-court before we bring it up again, Your Majesty?”_

_The grey-haired clerk nodded, his smirk an inch wider. Kasamatsu’s eyes narrowed as he willed himself to keep calm. He didn’t need to be dubbed ‘the short-tempered King’, on top of the current ‘Ignorant King’ nickname he’d already heard floating around._

_“Then, regarding Provincial Governor Ishida Hideki’s alleged pocketing of tax…”_

_It’s his fault, Kasamatsu thought bitterly. He’d accepted his appointment believing that there must have been a reason why he was brought here, that his losing his place in Japan and going through over half a decade of hardships, learning a new language and manual labour, weren’t just a result of a freak accident._

_Perhaps he should have just accepted that it was a freak accident. The world owed no one any roles._

_“I’m sorry for interrupting, just now,” his Kirin told him in a small voice after the morning conference, his broad shoulders slumped. Kasamatsu swore the blonde reminded him of an excitable Golden Retriever sometimes. He could practically imagine his puppy ears and tail drooping. “I didn’t mean to be rude…”_

_“I need to thank you, actually, for stopping me from exploding,” Kasamatsu sighed. “Now that I think about it, I got what he meant about compulsory schooling not benefitting this largely agricultural-based society. The urbanization would have caused food shortage-”_

_Kasamatsu stopped himself when Kaiki tilted his head, his eyes blank. His Kirin was superb at winning people’s hearts, but hated studying. “Anyways, he was right, but god, if he wasn’t so annoying about it…” the Taika concluded._

_“Lord Haizaki is like that,” Kaiki’s smile was tighter around his eyes, more forced, before he turned to the window. “Oh! There’ll be a festival in town this evening! Shall we drop by after dinner?” His expression became more genuine, amber eyes sparkling with energy._

_Kasamatsu couldn’t help the fondness that swelled in his chest. “I have something I need to read up on. Please take Kobori with you.”_

_“Oh,” the blonde’s face fell._

_Kasamatsu frowned. He was mulling over how much time he could spare for this festival when a bald official approached them. “Your Majesty!” he kowtowed._

_Kai-Ou turned to address him. “You are…?”_

_“Please pardon me for disturbing you. I am Mochizuki Kazuhiro, from Fukuda,” he raised his head, and Kasamatsu saw a serious man, his eyes cautiously darting about before he spoke. “There is something I would like to inform you.”_

_The three of them moved to Kasamatsu’s study, where the King proceeded to dismiss the servants. “What is it?”_

_“It’s about Governor Ishida,” Mochizuki reported. “He’d been framed by the Prime Minister. I’ve worked with the Governor for three years. He’s a dutiful, righteous leader. There is no way he could have stolen the Kingdom’s money, Your Majesty.”_

_Kasamatsu blinked, confused for a moment, before he remembered the topics of today’s Assembly. He had ordered Haizaki to instigate an investigation, but that might not have been the best decision. “How do you know for sure? Do you have any proof?” the monarch did his due diligence. “Why did Haizaki specifically target the Governor?”_

_“That’s...” Mochizuki pursed his lips. “We’re still amassing our evidence.”_

_“I’ll remove Haizaki from the investigation, but please present a strong case,” Kasamatsu sighed. “I want to help you, but you need to help me do that.”_

_“Understood,” Mochizuki bowed again, “thank you, Your Majesty.” He left the room._

_Kasamatsu rubbed his temples. His head was starting to throb. “Kaiki, I’ll be staying here,” he mustered a smile to the blonde. There was no way he could spare time now that he had to decide who he could transfer the responsibility of the investigation to. “Please enjoy yourself out there.” Kaiki had been a great help in braving through the landmines of court politics, preventing Kasamatsu from putting his foot in his mouth countless times. He wanted the blonde to rest. “Get me some souvenirs, won’t you?”_

_“All right!” Kaiki didn’t appear as enthusiastic as he’d been, though. “See you tomorrow, Your Majesty!”_

* * *

_The next day, Mochizuki Kazuhiro was found dead._

_Kasamatsu refrained from looking at his Prime Minister the moment the news were read to him._

_Later, much later, he retched._

_‘If only…’_

* * *

_“We have perused through Fukuda’s financial records, town granaries count records, movements of goods in and out of Sogo, Governor Ishida’s personal assets, and concluded that the allegations against him are justified,” Baron Morita reported._

_Kasamatsu hid his sigh behind his sleeve. So Morita Masakazu was not to be trusted, either. Or had Haizaki destroyed all trails that led to him? “There are too much circumstantial proof, relationships whose nature is guesswork-”_

_“Forgive me, Your Majesty, but it is not your job to determine the final judgment, but the Steward-Marshal’s,” Haizaki looked way too self-satisfied as he licked his thumb. “Moreover, Ishida’s been on trial for a month. Our resources-”_

_“If our judgment is wrong, his blood is in our hands!” Kasamatsu rose to his feet._

_Both of them directed their gaze to the head of the Ministry of Justice, the monarch’s sharp and intense, and the Prime Minister’s smug._

_The Steward-Marshal had not been bought by Haizaki, it seemed, since the old man nodded. “I understand your concerns, Your Majesty. I will grant an extension for another month.”_

_‘Shit shit shit,’ Kasamatsu couldn’t stop cursing in his mind, cross-eyed as he squinted at the thousands lines of records he’d borrowed. If Haizaki was really that scheming, this was his one chance to remove him. The grey fox wouldn’t ever be this careless again. ‘Nobody will treat Kobori with respect since he’s a half-beast. Who can I trust to help me?’_

_Ah, his eyelids were so heavy…_

* * *

_Kaiki felt useless._

_Nobody had told him how hard governing would be. Akashi-cchi and Kuroko-cchi never looked troubled. Kaiki knew Midorima-cchi had some issues when he just started, many decades ago, but it was because the clerks hated how rigid he was. Kaiki had way better people skills, so he believed it would be smooth-sailing for him._

_Ha. As if._

_His King was struggling. Anyone could see that; his eye bags grew darker and heavier by day, red lines filling those steely blue eyes. He barely slept and ate, and Kaiki couldn’t remember when the dark-haired ruler had last stepped out of the Aquamarine Palace._

_That was why Kaiki had been very grateful for the invitation from Sei-Ou._

_“Your Majesty!” The blonde made the effort to wake up early on the day of visit and personally went to his ruler’s room, “Rise and shine-”_

_There was nobody in the bed._

_In fact, it was unmade._

_Kaiki panicked. “Does anyone know where His Majesty is?”_

_Ten minutes later, the holy beast was staring at the figure slumped on the documents strewn all over his desk, the oil of his lamp ran out._

_Kaiki’s heart ached. He wanted to let his King sleep a little longer, but the moment he walked away, Kasamatsu groaned and started to wake up. “Oh…trade negotiations with King Aomine is today, isn’t it?” He mumbled as he caught sight of the blonde, all dressed up in purples and blues. “What time is it now…?”_

_“The hour of Dragon,” Kaiki answered, gently opening the curtains and letting soft lights of dawn through._

_Kasamatsu shot up straight away. “Crap,” he swore when he stubbed his toe, “I should have woken up in the hour of Rabbit. Kaiki-”_

_“Don’t worry,” the blonde supported his master, walking together to the door, “I’ll get you prepared quickly.” When it came to fashion, Kaiki was confident. “Besides, Aomine-cchi is not known to be on time, really.”_

_The Kirin insisted to ride together with his master. “I worry that you’ll fall asleep and slip off Hyouka,” he patted the leopard demon below him. “How long did you sleep yesterday?”_

_Patches of pink appeared on Kasamatsu’s cheeks. “…I don’t know,” he grunted._

_“I thought so,” Kaiki smiled sadly. “Lean on me. I’ll steer and make sure we get there. Please take better care of yourself, Your Majesty,” he chided, not afraid of overstepping his boundaries this once._

_Expectedly, the short-haired Taika scowled. “Fairies don’t age or fall sick. There’s no need for long sleep or meals.”_

_Not knowing what to say to argue back, Kaiki kept quiet. When his King’s head fell back against his shoulder in the middle of the journey, however, happiness bubbled in his chest so much it took everything to not shout it out._

_Kaiki’s prediction was correct; they were made to wait for fifteen minutes upon arriving in Sei’s Crystal Palace. “Sorry,” the dark-skinned King told them upon entering the room, not appearing the slightest bit apologetic. “Morning meetings…are just hard to wake up to, you know?”_

_‘No, he doesn’t, because he always wakes up at sunrise,’ Kaiki remarked in his head, but said this instead, “Aomine-cchi, you’re such a meanie! We came all the way here for you, didn’t we?”_

_The former Army General laughed. “I’ll give you additional discount for our iron ores, kay? Don’t be mad,” he teased._

_The blonde gasped. “I want your promise on paper, now!”_

_So it started on a lighthearted manner, and continued on a similar tone throughout. Being neighbours, Sei and Kai had always been good trading partners, occasionally even trading job vacancies at the borders or for specialized skills. Kaiki sensed the tension on Kasamatsu’s back slowly unravelling as time passed, and breathed in relief._

_Until Kuroko-cchi joined them. “Your Majesties,” the white Kirin suddenly appeared at Aomine-cchi’s side. “Kaiki, long time no see.”_

_“Wah!” Kasamatsu dropped his cup. Luckily, the rug on the floor was thick, though it was most definitely stained now. “When did you come?”_

_“About five minutes ago,” Kuroko-cchi replied in his trademark polite, monotonous voice. “I refilled your tea, Your Majesty.”_

_Kasamatsu blinked. “The door is in my line of sight, and I didn’t see it open.”_

_Kuroko-cchi shrugged, before he turned to Sei-Ou and handed him a couple of scrolls. “Reports on Koganei and Mitobe.”_

_Kasamatsu seemed to have sensed that the content was confidential. “Shall we…take our leave?”_

_Aomine shook his head. “It’s okay. Just background checks on candidates for a law enforcement post I opened.”_

_“I see,” Kasamatsu’s brows rose as he saw Kuroko-cchi in a different light. “Ethics aside…that lack of presence is really useful, huh?”_

_Kaiki took a sharp breath. It felt like he’d been stabbed by a knife._

_‘I’m sorry I have no such special ability!’_

_The blonde masked it with a sunny grin. “Of course, Kuroko-cchi’s awesome!”_

_“Kuroko…as in, back-stage crew_ [1] _? That’s a really apt name,” Kasamatsu commented as he picked up the fallen cup. “About the rug-”_

_“Don’t mind it,” Aomine-cchi gestured dismissively, **that** shit-eating grin on his face. “Of course it’s apt! I named him, after all!”_

_“Huh?” Kasamatsu looked puzzled. “It wasn’t his parents…?”_

_Aomine-cchi’s dark blue eyes widened. “Ah, I forget that you’re a Taika. You’re so well-assimilated,” he complimented the other monarch casually. “You know that all lives are born from Mother Trees here, right?”_

_“Yes...but all humans had parents who weaved ribbons, tied them to the branches and prayed for children, right?” Kasamatsu queried._

_“Well…Kirins aren’t exactly humans, are they? They have no parents,” Aomine-cchi titled his head in Kaiki’s direction. “Kirins are simply referred to as ‘Saiho’, ‘Taiho’ and the Kingdom they serve, unless someone – most likely their Kings –bestowed them a name. Kaiki has no other names, hasn’t he?”_

_A second stab. “That’s right!” His face was stiff from how carefully he was holding his grin._

_The blonde felt his master’s eyes on him, before Kasamatsu brooded. “I see…”_

_As the two rulers changed the topic of their conversation, Kaiki sensed a tug on his sleeve. “Kaiki,” Kuroko-cchi watched him unnervingly. “Let’s leave them to it.”_

_“Eh? Ah-” He pardoned himself from Kasamatsu and let the smaller Kirin drag him to the roof, where an entire balcony was made of marbles. King Aomine might have ascended only decades earlier than Kasamatsu, but Sei’s wealth from the era of King Oikawa had not been eroded in the fourteen years period where there was no Kings._

_“Kuroko-cchi, I’m touched that you miss me so much-” Kaiki rambled, before the silence got to him._

_“Kaiki,” the blue-haired Saiho cut in. “Are you okay?”_

_‘Am I so transparent?’ Kaiki was aghast. “Of course-”_

_“Kaiki!” Kuroko-cchi repeated firmly._

_Kaiki stared into those stern, all-knowing eyes, and gave in. Kuroko-cchi could see through any of his lies. “Kuroko-cchi,” tears began to flood his cheeks as he implored, “help me.”_

* * *

_They rode back to Kai separately, Kaiki trying to hide his puffy eyes with his bangs. Unloading his burdens to Kuroko-cchi verbally felt liberating, but Kuroko-cchi did not actually offer any tangible advices. Just two words, ‘I understand,’ and nothing else._

_“Kaiki,” Kasamatsu spoke his first word after leaving Sei, and Kaiki turned to him without revealing much of the upper half of his face. The dark-haired man appeared undecided. “Do you…want a name?” he broached carefully._

_Kaiki blushed. ‘I’m the worst!’ he scolded himself. His master already had enough on his plate! “Ah, no-”_

_“Kaiki,” he was, again, interrupted with a severe voice. But the face that accompanied it was pleading. “I’ve had enough people lie to me,” Kasamatsu said quietly, “not you, too.”_

_The blonde winced. ‘I won’t, ever again,’ he swore in his mind, and nodded. “Yes…I’d like to.”_

_“I see,” a genuine smile spread on Kasamatsu’s face. Kaiki nearly cried. “I’ll think about it and get back to you.”_

_Kaiki beamed so hard his face hurt._

_“Yes!”_

* * *

_Kasamatsu stumbled upon Moriyama Yoshitaka completely by chance._

_He was dropping by the Archive to request for documents to better his understanding of trade and governance in Fukuda province, when he heard a shout, “I can’t accept this!”_

_Kasamatsu peeked through the shelf, and found an official of the Ministry of Winter arguing against the Daishikuu, Minister of the Treasury and Economic Development. “Based on the forecast and tracking sheet of this month’s expenditures, our ratios are still healthy! Why was my research project proposal rejected?”_

_The Daishikuu sighed. “Lord Haizaki has plans that need immediate funding.”_

_The official refused to back down. “I didn’t find such plans in the R &D records-”_

_“Moriyama,” his superior’s voice was cold. “I would stop, if I were you.”_

_‘That,’ Kasamatsu thought as he hid himself behind the books, ‘was most definitely a threat.’_

_As the King observed the official curse after the Daishikuu left, he was struck with an idea._

_“Your Majesty,” Moriyama looked surprised when he was summoned to his monarch’s study the next day. “How may I help you?” the slanted-eyed scholar seemed to be racking his brain for what he’d done to catch Kasamatsu’s notice._

_The dark-haired King dug his nails in the flesh of his palm. A brief check on Moriyama’s background had uncovered nothing. Still…it was a gamble. “Official Moriyama,” he addressed his citizen, his tone challenging. “I have a test for you.”_

TBC

Comment please!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1\. 黒 (kuro) + 子 (ko) = Black Child is the literal translation, but what it actually means is "a person in the background” or “behind-the-scenes supporter”. Kuroko is a term often used to refer to people who assist in performances like stage plays. In Kabuki, they often come out to hold or rearrange props while dressed in black clothing. http://yefione.tumblr.com/post/39454582817/kuroko-no-basuke-kiseki-no-sedai-name-analysis


End file.
